If you don’t have amazake → simple version included below

Ingredients

• Cream cheese – 150g (softened)
• Sugar – 40–50g
• Eggs – 1 + 1/2 (lightly beaten)
• Thick amazake – 40–50ml
• Heavy cream – 100ml
• Cake flour – 2 tsp (6g)
• Matcha powder – 6–8g
• Vanilla extract – optional

Instructions

1. Prepare the pan
   Line a 12cm round pan with crumpled baking paper.
2. Mix cream cheese + sugar
   Stir until smooth.
3. Add eggs
   Mix in beaten eggs in two additions.
4. Add amazake
   Stir until well combined.
5. Add cream
   Mix until smooth.
6. Add matcha + flour
   Sift together, fold in gently.
7. Bake
   230°C for 20–25 min (brown top + jiggly centre).
8. Chill
   Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

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⭐ If You Don’t Have Amazake — Simple Matcha Basque Cheesecake

Just remove the amazake and adjust the ingredients like this:

Ingredients (No-amazake version)

• Cream cheese – 150g
• Sugar – 55–65g (a little more to replace amazake’s sweetness)
• Eggs – 1 + 1/2
• Heavy cream – 120ml (increase for richness)
• Cake flour – 2 tsp
• Matcha – 6–8g
• Vanilla – optional

Method

Follow the same steps as above.

🍶 What is Amazake? (Koji Fermented Rice Drink)

A Japanese traditional fermented drink made from rice koji

Amazake is a traditional Japanese fermented drink made by combining rice, water, and rice koji (a culture made from steamed rice inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae, the same fermentation starter used for miso, soy sauce, and sake).

When koji enzymes break down the rice starch, they naturally produce:

• Glucose (gentle natural sweetness)

• Amino acids

• B vitamins

• Digestive enzymes

This creates a creamy, mildly sweet drink with a subtle aroma.

✔ Non-alcoholic

The koji-based amazake contains no alcohol—it’s suitable for children and widely used in Japanese cooking and desserts.

✔ Naturally sweet

No sugar is added.
The sweetness comes entirely from koji enzymes converting starch into sugar.

✔ Nutrient-rich

Koji amazake is considered a “Japanese superfood” because it’s rich in:

• Enzymes for digestion

• B vitamins

• Prebiotics that support gut health

• Easily digestible natural sugars

✔ Uses in cooking & baking

Amazake is often used to:

• Add natural sweetness

• Improve moisture and texture

• Enhance umami

• Replace sugar or dairy in some recipes

In matcha Basque cheesecake, amazake adds:

• Depth of flavour

• Gentle sweetness

• Creamy texture

• Beautiful aroma